Dating 1960s Yamaha FG-180 Red Label

[lesliedare]

My father purchased this guitar in about 1965 in Virginia and it is now in my possession. It's provenance is well known in the family; however everything I read suggests that Yamaha was not making "red label" guitars until the late 1960s or early 1970s. It has a 7-digit serial number: 1565568, and the "Made in Japan" sticker on the back of the headstock, and the Yamaha Nippon Gakki red label.

I also see online that these guitars are notoriously difficult to date, but I'd like to confirm the year of manufacture if possible, and also get a general sense of its market value. I appreciate any thoughts on this.

[mds08]

Its a 1971 based on what you say you have. I have had two 68 Fg180. Very nice guitars. Both mine were sold for over $550.

[lesliedare]

Thanks for the reply. My father, who is still alive and of sound mind, clearly recalls buying the guitar in about 1965. And I remember it in our household growing up, well before 1972.

So it's an interesting discrepancy!

Can you share why you would date it as a 1971? Purely on the history of red label, or some other factor(s).

[tgaume]

Here's info direct from Yamaha.

http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/...tars/796/3409/

[mds08]

Originally Posted by mds08

Its a 1971 based on what you say you have. I have had two 68 Fg180. Very nice guitars. Both mine were sold for over $550.

The 1 is the first number in the serial which represents the last number in the year. I read this somewhere on the serial numbers and build dates.

[tomiv9]

There is a code to figure out the year. I forget what it is, but I'm pretty sure it's not the first digit. My guitar is 1168403, and some how I came to the conclusion it was made in 69. Keep googling it, and maybe you can figure out the date code

[tomiv9]

Found this "Older Yamaha's are easy to date the first 2 letters are the day of the month, the third letter is the month the fourth letter the year and the last the number made that day. So your guitar was made the 15th of June 1965. mine I guess is actually a 68.

[lesliedare]

Originally Posted by tomiv9

Found this "Older Yamaha's are easy to date the first 2 letters are the day of the month, the third letter is the month the fourth letter the year and the last the number made that day.

Thanks for this --- what's the URL? I couldn't find it. Thanks.

[DanPanther]

I find it a little hard to believe, that Yamaha says they can not accurately date FG-180's prior to 1971, yet I see some post the code. I would take that with a grain of Salt.
PLEASE I'm not trying to demean anyone, just posting an observation that Yamaha disputes.

Dan